Hiring help for felons

Having a job can be one of the best ways for an ex-con to turn their life around, those in the corrections industry say.

Rep. Sheldon Johnson (DFL-St. Paul) sponsors HF1043, which would prohibit a public employer from considering the criminal history of an employment applicant until the person has been selected for an interview.

Employers with a statutory duty to conduct a criminal history background check or consider criminal history in the hiring process would be exempt.

Approved March 20 by the House Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division, the bill was included March 26 by the House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee in its omnibus bill. A companion, SF538, sponsored by Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), awaits action by the full Senate.

“It does not eliminate criminal record inquiries or background checks,” said Johnson, who has worked in corrections for more than 30 years. “It lets the person get a foot in the door, put a human face on the applicant, give them a chance to present themselves.”

“Often a person’s criminal background is looked at more closely than the person’s actual skills and qualifications,” said Eric Branson, an employment facilitator at Emerge Community Development. “I, too, am an ex-felon and have been denied employment by having to check a box. Luckily, I’ve had the support from people willing to speak on my behalf on my past work experiences, as well as found an employer who values my knowledge, skills and experience more than what a piece of paper says that I did in the past.”

A similar program has existed since December 2006 in Minneapolis, leading to decreased costs due to fewer background checks, while not slowing the hiring process.